1. Technical Field
The present invention pertains to an improved jewelry ring assembly of the type having two annular rings, one movably retained by the other, and to the method of manufacturing such assembly. Although the preferred embodiment described herein is a finger ring, it will be understood that the principles of the invention apply equally to rings worn on other parts of the body or suspended from chains, pins and the like.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
It is known in the prior art to manufacture finger ring assemblies made of two rings, namely a base or inner ring that fits on the wearer""s finger, and a retained or outer ring that is engaged by the base ring. Example of such ring assemblies are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,431,652 (Grossman), 1,586,606 (Cain), 5,161,392 (Wiriath et al.), 5,228,316 (Meyrowitz), 5,678,428 (Pasquetti) and Australian Patent No. 208883 (Preston). The ring assemblies disclosed in the Cain, Wiriath et al., Meyrowitz and Pasquetti patents are made from at least three parts which are assembled in various manners. In order to place and then retain the outer ring on the outside surface of the base ring, the base ring is provided in two pieces that are joined together after the outer ring is in place. The need for a two-piece base ring arises from the fact that annular edges of greater outside diameter than the inside diameter of the retained ring are required in order to hold the retained ring on the base ring. This required size relationship, however, prevents placement of the outer ring onto the base ring unless the base ring is initially disassembled.
The Grossman and Preston patents disclose respective ring assemblies wherein the base ring is made of a single piece. The outer surface of the base ring has an annular channel disposed between two raised annular edges of greater diameter. The base ring is initially sized such that the outside diameter of the annular edges is slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the retained ring, thereby permitting the retained ring to be moved axially over one of the edges of the base ring and into alignment with the base ring channel. The base ring is then radially expanded whereby both its channel and its retaining edges experience a diametric increase until the aligned retained ring is disposed within the base ring channel between the annular retaining edges. The expansion ultimately causes the retained ring to fit tightly as an inset in the base ring channel, the tight fit preventing relative movement of the two rings in the final assembly.
It is aesthetically desirable to provide a jewelry ring assembly of the type described wherein the retained ring is both freely rotatable about the base ring and capable of freely wobbling (i.e., axially skewing) between the outer retaining edges of the base ring channel. It is also aesthetically desirable that the retaining edges of the base ring be formed as a smooth transition from the base ring channel rather than providing a sharp step or right angle transition between the channel and retaining edges. It is further desirable that the base ring be made of a single piece rather than two parts that must be assembled after the retained ring is in place. None of the ring assemblies described above meet all of these criteria.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a ring assembly of the type described wherein the base ring is formed from a single piece, the retained ring is free to rotate and wobble in the base ring channel, and the base ring channel has a smooth concave transition between its deepest part and its retaining edges.
In accordance with the present invention, a ring assembly includes two pieces, namely a base ring and a retained ring. The one-piece base ring is initially a right circular cylinder with a constant diameter throughout its width (i.e., its axial length). That outside diameter is necessarily smaller than the inside diameter of the retained ring. The first step in the fabrication process is to flare a first of the annular edges of the base ring radially outward so that there is a gradual increase in diameter from the middle portion of the outer surface to the first annular edge. The diameter of the enlarged first annular edge is increased such that it exceeds the inside diameter of the retained ring.
The retained ring is then placed about the base ring by moving the retained ring axially past the second or unenlarged edge of the base ring. With the two rings thusly in place, the second edge of the base ring is flared radially outward such that the outside diameter of the second edge is greater than the inside diameter of the retained ring. This flaring also produces a smooth or gradual increase in diameter of the outer surface of the base ring. The resulting base ring has an outer surface in the form of an annular channel extending widthwise in a smoothly concave manner between the diametrically expanded annular edges of the base ring. The retained ring inside diameter is sufficiently large relative to the outside diameter of the central portion of the concave base ring channel to permit the retained ring to freely rotate about the base ring in that channel. In addition, the width of the retained ring is sufficiently small relative to the width of the base ring channel to permit axial wobble of the retained ring in that channel.
The smooth widthwise transition from edge to edge of the base ring provides a free-flowing aesthetic appearance while movably retaining the retained ring in the concave annular base ring channel.
The above features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description of specific embodiments thereof, particularly when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals in the various figures are utilized to designate like components.